Hi. Can I say that Omicron is a mutation of coronavirus?

@Vikas The typical terminology is to say that Omicron is a variant of a specific coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. This isn't quite the same as a mutation, though the words "mutation/mutated/mutant" are used quite differently in different contexts. See also medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/29364/…

@BryanKrause Just read. Can't understand the details in depth but I got the basic idea. But if SARS-CoV-2 wouldn't exist, Omicron wouldn't also exist? It basically originated from SARS-CoV-2?

Correct.

And one comment under Bryan's answer says simply that it mutated so much that it got converted into a variant. That also correct casually speaking?

Usually when we say "variant', we mean a variation of something that already exists.

While a "mutation" has some fundamental change.

@364539917 Okay. But to become a variant, it needs mutation too?

These words have a lot of overlap in meaning.

Okay. So can we also say this virus is mutating and creating variants for its own survival? Like humans evolve with time?

Sure, as long as you're clear about it :-)

Variants of mutations, etc

Cool. Thanks :D

np

@Vikas If they were dogs or horses instead of viruses, we'd call a "variant" a "breed"

and a mutation would be a ninja turtle

@364539917 Those are mutants, not mutations :-P

sorry, I mixed them up with zombies

which lack "zombations"